


In loving memory

by MelTheSugarBug



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Archie needs a hug, Asexual Jughead, Evil Miss Grundy, F/M, Jughead needs sleep, M/M, Mentions of Archie Andrews and Miss Grundy, More tags to be added, Multi, Murder Mystery, New Girl - Freeform, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse, Riverdales parents shit parenting, Statutory Rape, Takes place after Grundy leaves, The Oc has two dads, The bitch is shady af, Threesome - F/M/M, Why do i always make threesomes, Will they solve the mystery, mentions of torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-09-26 10:25:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9889907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelTheSugarBug/pseuds/MelTheSugarBug
Summary: Cassandra Phillips thought moving to Riverdale would be fun.You know,like a nice walk in the park.To no longer be in a town where her brother's death constantly hung over her head at every corner she turned.It surely started out that way until she made a grim discovery.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm officially smitten with Riverdale now :D and the muse came back with it.I was stuck on Fantastic Beasts for a bit too long.  
> Warning:graphic depiction of torture. I'm sorry Jason!

Cassandra Phillips thought moving to Riverdale would be fun.You know,like a nice walk in the park.To no longer be in a town where her brother's death constantly hung over her head at every corner she turned.It surely started out that way until she made a grim discovery.

As soon as she stepped foot into Riverdale,she heard about the disappearance and murder of Jason Blossom. A grim affair that seemed to have shaken the whole town.As small as it was,Cassandra wasn't surprised that if a bird peeped, everyone would hear about it.

What shocked her the most was her first day of school.The school and the students weren't so bad.Cassandra even made a friend,well the term was a bit hasty,they only got partnered up for a project. As she approached the shrine dedicated to Jason,a modest bouquet of wild flowers in her hands,picked on her way to school,she was finally able to put a face to the name that was whispered all over town like a bad omen.

Cassandra felt her stomach drop like an heavy weight had replaced it,right into her shoes as she saw Jason's face staring back at her. The bouquet fell from her lax fingers as she felt like the air had been punched from her lungs. The bouquet landed with a soft whisper,resting among the many other colorful offerings her peers had left in the memory of the boy. She knelt on one knee,to arrange the bouquet properly,her heart wanting to escaping through her throat. She took a deep breaths,blinking sluggishly as she stood back up,a few of her peers had stopped to stare at her. 

The schools intercom let out a shrill sound before the voice of Pr Weatherbee filtered through,making some trivial announcements before reminding everyone that if they saw anything suspicious or knew any details about Jason's murder,to come to the principal's office immediately. In that instant,fear ran through Cassandra's veins like ice,making her feel numb from her head to her toes. She quickly got moving, realizing she must of looked like a lunatic,staring into empty space in the middle of the hallway like that. 

The heels of her shoes seemed to echo loudly in the hall as she briskly walked towards the Principals office,her eyes dead set ahead,her satchel bouncing on her hip.

She suddenly felt nauseous as she stepped into the secretary office,her stomach roiling with dread,breath shaking with fear,eyes watering. Her voice was a small,brittle thing when she asked the elderly secretary if she could see the principal. The older woman glanced at her and rose a sharp inquisitive eyebrow.

'I-its about Jason'She mumbled and the secretary's face took a sour look before pressing a button on a small intercom in front of her and called for the principal,briskly nudging her chin at Cassandra,motioning towards the row of chairs that lined the wall beside the Principals door'Hell be with you shortly'The secretary sniffed and turned back to stacking her papers.Cassandra took a seat,dropping her satchel at her feet and tucked her hands between her thighs to keep them from fidgeting. The secretary office was blissfully empty,aside from a few teachers that walked about,whom looked at her disapprovingly,as if she was a naughty child before going back to their copying or whatever.  

Cassandra jerked up,nearly tripping over bag when the door of the Pr Weatherbee opened,a student hastily retreating from within,his head tucked between his shoulders making him seem like a turtle trying to tuck its head inside its shell. Cassandra met the principals eyes as he peered at her over the frame of his glasses.

'Please step in Miss Phillips,Sheriff Keller should be here shortly' The man announced, his voice calm and controlled as he spread out his arm and invited her in his office. Cassandra took her bag and stepped inside,eyes darting everywhere as she clutched her bag to her stomach like a price,her fingers worrying the well worn fabric. She took a seat in the chair in front of the principals desk, leaving her bag in her lap, her slate grey colored nails digging into the bag like talons.

'How have you been settling down in Riverdale Miss Phillips?' The man asked conversationally,sitting down at his desk, leaning forward to staple his fingers in front of him. Cassandra offered a thin smile at the Principal, appreciating the man's effort at trying to make her relax.

Cassandra engaged small conversation about school with the Principal until a knock resounded, making her tense once again, her body becoming one taut line, her breath catching in her throat as Principal Weatherbee stood to greet the Sheriff with a firm hand shake. Cassandra cleared her throat, trying to dislodge the weight that seemed to settle into her throat. She stood to greet the Sheriff with a stiff handshake with an equally stiff,forced smile that felt like she just painted it on. Cassandra took back her seat as Sheriff Keller went to stand beside Weatherbee's desk, arms crossed in front of his chest, his posture demanding respect. Cassandra bit on her lower lip,quelling the overwhelming need to cower in her seat. 

'So, Miss Phillips, mind telling us what you know about Jason's murder?' Sheriff Keller started, getting to the hearts of things, no sugar coating or reassurances. Cassandra preferred it that way.

 

_When Cassandra couldn't find inspiration to write, she often tried to find serene,reserved places to be able to think properly. She found the forest just at the end of the city, it was just perfect. She had equipped herself with her trusty satchel, who only held a snack, a drink, her trusty notebook and pen and her cellphone. Just the sound of the leaves crunching underneath her boots felt soothing, the fresh air invigorating, the expanse of trees stretching over her head, filtering the sun rays in spots across the forest's floor. All of this seemed perfect, she could just find a spot and take a seat and let the words flow,black on white, the jumbled words emptying itself clearly onto the pages. That was until she saw the typical,decrepit little shack in the woods, that seemed to come out of a horror movie.Mossy,with graying wood planks due to the exposure to the harsh elements. She was about to disregard it, no good could come from a place like this, that seemed to reek from malicious spirits that made her skin crawl and the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. That was until she heard an anguished cry,a broken,pitiful thing. Perhaps it was a wounded animal that was mewling as it's dying breath left it's body but the closer she approached that forsaken cabin, the louder it got._

_Body on high alert, Cassandra crouched, trying to peer through the old,grimy windows. Cassandra wrapped her hand in her sleeve and carefully wiped at the window, wrinkling her nose at the thick layer of grime that now stained her sleeve. She peered through the clean spot, seeing no movement inside. She winced and ducked when the anguished cry resounded again, shaking her to her very core. She kept on crouching,sticking to the sides of the cabin,eventually finding the front. She peered around the wall, her heart beating a forceful rhythm against her rib cage. There was no car in the front but there seemed to be fresh tire tracks that disturbed the earth of the forest floor a few meters with what seemed to be the front porch. Cassandra backed up, deciding to avoid using the front door and circled the cabin, trying to find another way inside,her muscles pulled taut when the cry came again, followed by a hoarse sob that pulled at Cassandra heartstrings like claws,causing involuntary tears well up in her eyes.She peeked around the other wall and saw a set of storm basement doors. Cassandra would of rolled her eyes at how cliche this was becoming, if there wasn't someone possibly stuck inside that cabins basement. The leaves crunched under her weight as she kneeled in front of the doors, a cheap padlock and chain sealing the doors shut.Heartbreaking sobs resounded through the doors, punching their way through Cassandra's eardrums and heart.  There was definitely someone in there if they went through the effort to lock those. Cassandra tucked some hair behind her ear as she looked around for something that could pry the padlock open. She opened her bag hastily, eyes darting around nervously as she rummaged through her bags content, hoping to find a stray bobby pin but to no avail. Her phone!! Of course! She could call the police and they could come and rescue the prisoner._

_Oh no... Her screen remained black, no matter which button she pressed. Of course...She then recalled that she wouldn't care if her phone battery died, she didn't need the distraction when she was writing and her phone proved to be a good source of distraction and often caused her to procrastinate. She shoved the phone back inside her bag with a huff and instead reached for the big rock on the side. She grasped it with both hands and slammed it down onto the padlock with a low grunt. The sobs suddenly stopped, making the teen's breath catch in her throat, pausing in mid swing._

_'hello?' the person from inside asked,voice wobbly and hoarse that sounded like gravel.'Please help me' The person whimpered,another sob escaping them._

_' Hold on, I'm coming!' She called tearfully through the crack between the two doors and banged on the padlock with the rock with renewed vigor. She took a paused to see if her pounding did any damage and noticed that an indent was starting to form on the part that kept the padlock locked. The rock was starting to rub the palms of her hands raw so she tucked her hands inside her sleeves and picked the rock back up, hoping that the chafing would be less intense with the fabric of her sleeves in the way. She let out a loud grunt when she slammed the rock down brutally against the padlock,who gave away under the forceful impact. Her  cornflower blue eyes darted about nervously,tuning her ears to listen carefully for any sounds that wouldn't belong in the forest. When she only heard the gentle tweets of the birds and the rushing of the nearby river, she snapped back into action, throwing the now mangled padlock aside and threw away the heavy chains. She yanked one of the heavy doors open and left it fall it the side with a bang, the pungent smell of mold,mildew and blood assaulted her nose, making her dry heave and cover her nose with the collar of her shirt. Cassandra reached for the set of keys in her bag and took the miniature flash light from it. She clicked it open and directed the beam to the stairs, who were stained a garish red. Cassandra threw one last look around and slowly descended into the nearly pitch black basement. She ducked her head as she reached the bottom._

_Everything made it look like a regular basement where you stored your old bike and the things you didn't used anymore, except for the fact that one of the walls was covered in what seemed to be torture instruments. Cassandra mouth fell open in shock, as each were showcased by flashy neon lights, each seemed to be covered in blood._

_'Help me....' Cassandra nearly screamed as she was startled by the plaintive voice. She suddenly shone the light on a figure sitting on a chair. She gasped as she took in their desolated state. Skin pale,nearly grey, covered in a fine layer of grime and blood. Red hair in disarray and probably sticky with sweat and clotted blood. Dead looking pale blue eyes met her own, pleading,begging for help. White clothes, that weren't white anymore, rumpled,dirty and torn beyond repair. His pale forearms were littered with angry red welts, who seemed to be oozing with puss and dry blood and by the wet spots of his blouse and pants, she knew that his injuries extended further then just his forearms. Thick,coarse ropes held his arms and legs to the arm rest and legs of the chair he was sitting on. His wrists rubbed raw from his evident struggles._

_Cassandra took the flashlight between her teeth and got to work on the ropes. They were tied so tight, Cassandra couldn't quite quite fit her small fingers in between,in hope to loosen. She ran a reassuring hand through the boy's hair ,shushing him softly as he sobbed,rocking in his chair, begging for her to release him. Her own eyes were prickling with tears at his suffering._

_'Can you do me a favor? If I don't make it?' He asked, voice scratchy and thin. The blond haired teen nodded quickly, her now messy bun bobbing with the movement._

_' Take the letters I have in my pocket'He nudged his chin to the pocket of his pants. Cassandra met his eyes before carefully reaching in, making him wince when she no doubt grazed one of his injuries. She took out two rumpled pieces of paper that was folded tightly, stained with blood and filth.' Tell my sister Cheryl I love her and that I'm sorry'His voice wobbled with emotions as Cassandra consoled him again._

_She finally was able to undo one of the ropes when she heard a deep rumbling outside and felt her stomach drop as headlights pierced through the darkness of the basement through one of the grimy windows._

_' No,no,no no no' She silently begged, trying to undo another rope but to no avail._

_' Go, leave before they get you too' The boy begged, voice wet, tears clinging to his eyelashes as his eyes met hers._

_Her bottom lip wobbled as she cupped his dirty cheek._

_'I'll come back, I promise' She whispered before darting away, jumping as she heard the sound of doors slamming outside.She took one last glance at the boy, who managed a tiny upturn of his lips, which felt like a goodbye as if he knew...this would be the last time he ever saw the light..._

 

'And when I went to go back to help him the next day...I heard a gun shot and I high tailed it outta there..I-I' Cassandra let out a loud sob,curling in onto herself, burying her face into her hands, the healing welts on her hands a reminder of how she failed the boy with red hair. She felt a strong, grounding hand set itself onto her shoulder, making her look up at Sheriff Keller, whose expression had changed from stern to kind, his eyes sympathetic as he handed her the box of tissue that was resting onto the Principals desk. She took one and dabbed at her eyes, an aborted sob rattling her chest.

'why didn't you come to the police right away?' The Sheriff asked, crouching beside her chair, his eyes seeking out hers,obviously making sure that she wasn't lying to him. She could understand his reasoning, his doubt and Cassandra didn't resent him for it, he was a cop who only wanted to solve the murder that happened in his town. The teen knew how suspicious she sounded, knowing something so important and not saying a thing about it until recently. 

'I-I thought this was a nightmare...An horrifying nightmare and that eventually...I would wake up...' Cassandra sniffed,pressing fingers to her lips to hold back the sob that clawed at her throat.'Just like the way I felt when my own brother died'

Sheriff Keller nodded in understanding, sighing through his nose, looking exhausted and world wary.

'May Miss Phillips be excused Principal Weatherbee?' The man asked the Principal, who nodded in approval. The Sheriff turned to the teen, who stood quickly, her heart galloping in her chest as she clutched the strap of her satchel.' Miss Phillips, come with me, you will come show me where the cabin is and you will have to give me those letters, in case they hold some evidences to the murder' The older man held out his hands expectantly towards Cassandra, who instinctively held her bag closer to her hip. She reached inside but paused, feeling the scratchy paper against her fingertips. 

'C-Can Cheryl read it first?' She asked, her voice a frail thing, barely cutting through the already quiet office. The sheriff looked conflicted for a second before retreating his hand,in a silent gesture that he conceded to her request.

' alright but, she will have to bring it to the police station right afterwards, we cannot allow ourselves to contain possible evidences for too long' He warned, pointing at her with a firm finger, which made Cassandra nod hastily with a 'yes sir'. 

Sheriff Keller pressed a hand on the small of her back,guiding her out of the office and out into the hallway, where everyone was watching, whispering as she went by, guided by the police. She met a pair of dark eyes, which belonged to her 'friend' Veronica. The dark haired teen looked at her in shock, a firm frown on her face. Cassandra offered a weak smile before being pushed along.

 

Unfortunately for the police, when they found the cabin, it had been burned down to smithereens, all the proof it could of contained, gone along with it.

 


	2. Upon these pages,I leave my goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> By the next morning, everybody knew about the almost savior of Jason Blossom.

By the next morning, everybody knew about the almost savior of Jason Blossom. How she had seen Jason in a state of pure desolation. How she was the last person to see Jason,alive and breathing. 

Some stared at her with sympathy as she made her way down the hall,some threw suspicious glances her way,doubting her truth.

'I know now why she had that haunted look in her eyes'Veronica commented,after a hearty sip of coffee from her cup,eyes on the blond teen who was ambling down the hallway like a zombie,trying to appear far smaller then she already was,eyes dim and tired. Betty looked after the girl in sympathy,blond brows furrowed,eyes alight with compassion. 

'With what she saw,I'm not surprised'The blond of duo said,tightening her grip on her books,unable to phantom what Cassandra Phillips had seen on that faithful day. 

'You talking about Cassandra Phillips?'Kevin asked,worming himself between the duo,sniffing out any gossip like a nosy ferret.'My dad questioned her for hours last night to make she she wasn't lying,shes innocent until proven the contrary'Kevin informed,his own eyes riveted towards the blond who almost tried to hide in her locker,making him wince in sympathy before turning back to the duo.

'But Jason's was a football player,how could she have taken him on?'Archie questioned as he inserted himself into the group followed by Jughead who seemed content on being apart of the group,body angled to observe the tiny brunette. Cassandra must of felt the extra pair of eyes on her since she peeked over her slim shoulders at the group weariness heavy in her eyes.Veronica offered a friendly wave who was met with a tired half smile.

'Exactly and she wasn't even in town on the 4th of July,she moved in three days after'Veronica added,crossing her arm over her stomach and cocked a hip. 'Shes far too nice to have done something like that' 

'Excuse me, _excuse me_ ' Came the voice of Cheryl,slithering her way through the bodies of students,her face set and perfect,eyes determined as she zeroed in on her meek pray. Heels clacking like a hammer in court ,about to bring down her personal verdict on the petite brunette.

  
'Oh no oh no,she is not, that girl is a precious cinnamon roll and i wont let Cheryl intimidate her'Veronica pushed her way through her friends,moving across the hall to reach the red haired dragoness.

'Hello,Cassandra was it? 'Cheryl started off sweetly enough,startling the blond teen and stare at her like a deer in headlights. Cassandra gulped as she took in the intimidating figure of Cheryl Blossom. Who was smiling at her, all sweet and amicable,trying to lure her in and probably snap her neck if she had the chance.  
'Yes and you're C-Cheryl Blossom right?' Cassandra wanted to pat herself on the back for not stuttering. The red haired teen smiled again.  
'Yes that would be me'She said assertively, flicking her glossy mane of red hair over her shoulder'Can I have a word with you?' She asked,her eyes boring into Cassandra,daring her to decline,offering Cassandra her hand, as if they were friends and that the red head wasn't leading her to her death.

'Leave her alone Cheryl' Veronica said,reaching a hand to grasp Cassandras arm. 

'Mind your own business Lodge,Cassandra and I were talking,weren't we?' the red haired teen snipped,sizing up Veronica,animosity heavy in the air. Cheryl looked back at Cassandra ,sweet smile back in place as she directed her question at her,her perfectly manicured hand still extended towards her. 

Even if she felt like pissing herself,Cassandra needed to talk to Cheryl,Jason's letter burning like a brand through her bag. She reached and grasped Cheryl's hand.

'Ill be fine,V' Cassandra said reassuringly when Veronica threw her a incredulous look.'I'll see you in French'She called over her shoulder when the other teen decided to drag her along,obviously fed up with the idle chit chat.

The crowd parted like the red sea as they made their way through,Cheryl's hand a firm on hers to make sure she wouldn't lose her. They found an empty classroom and closed the door,all the noise from the hallway buffeted* by the door,leaving then in silence in the classroom.

'Did Jason say something to you'Was the first question Cheryl asked,a touch desperate and sad,the other teen clearly struggling to keep up a facade. Cassandra licked her dry lips,hey painted nails worrying the fabric of her bag.  
'He told me to tell you he loves you and that he was sorry' Cassandra started,hand flipping open her bag and fetched the scratchy letter from her bag.

  
'And to give you this' She said softly,holding out the letter. Cheryl's lips parted,her eyes becoming glossy as she looked at the letter,gently plucking it from Cassandras hand. The red haired teen took her time unfolding the stained paper,as if it was the world most fragile china.

Cassandra took a seat on one of the desk,her painted nails tapping nervously  against her knees as she silently observed the red headed teens eyes roam the letter. Her pretentious mask slowly crumbling, cracking to reveal the vulnerable layer underneath as her eyes swam with tears,a single tear tracing a path down her rosy cheeks,clinging to her chin like a lifeline and dripped onto the letter,joining the tear stains that no doubt were already etched into the worn paper.

'Oh Jay-Jay' Cheryl whimpered,tears now running freely as she clutched the letter to her chest,trying to push it into her heart,to hold this final piece of her brother forever.Cassandra felt helpless at Cheryl's misery and yet, knew exactly how it felt,to grieve so deeply for someone who slipped away too soon. Cassandra made to reach out for Cheryl,stepping off the desk. Her hand paused in mid-air before reaching for the red head. She cupped the back of her head and slowly,shushing her soothingly,pressing her head into her shoulder. Cheryl immediately clung to her like a lifeline, heavy sobs quaking her whole frame,her hands clawing at the back of Cassandra shirt.

'I'm sorry I couldn't save him Cheryl,I'm so very sorry' Cassandra own voice faltered ,a tear slipping down her cheek. Cassandra sometimes hated being this sensitive,this empathetic but her father always thought of it as a gift,making it easy for her to perceive peoples emotions and pinpoint how they were feeling. 

 

The gang had been able to follow the duo and were now spying on then through the doors thin window.

'What do you see?'Betty asked Veronica as the girl looked intently inside.

'They are hugging,Cassie is comforting Cheryl' Veronica described,trying to read on their lips as the two inside talked.Veronica noticed that Cheryl seemed to be clutching a piece of paler to her chest. The red accepted the tissue the brunette handed her and dabbed daintily at her cheeks,wiping away any signs of tears. Jughead got into Veronica,s space,pressing his ear to the door,earning a disgruntled look from the raven haired teen.

He could barely hear them,the two of them speaking so quietly that he could only make out low murmurs. The doorknob suddenly jiggled and the gang had to dispersed to avoid detection.

'Ill make sure to get the letter to Sheriff Keller,I-I just want to read it one more time'Cheryl's normally loud and confident voice sounded demure and scratchy with residues of sadness. The other teen didnt answer so they assumed she nodded. 

'Oh Cheryl,one more thing'Cassandra said meeting the red head in the doorway'Do you know who Polly is?Betty felt her breath catch in her throat and she exchanged at look with Jughead,who seemed to be listening intently,eyes focused on the shadows the two girls casted across the floor,caused by the sunshine that filtered through the crack of the open door.

'Betty Cooper's sister,her and my brother had history,until he hurt one way or another and she suddenly left without telling anyone'Cheryl's said haughtily as she lifted her chin snobbishly,mask slowly coming back in place. 'Be warned Cassandra,crazy runs in that family' Betty huffed in irritation and the only thing that kept her from facing the dragoness was Veronica's firm hand on her shoulder. The blond looked at the raven who shook her head.

'Toodles' Cheryl's said sweetly,words once again honeyed and fake, waving at the brunette before taking off into the hallway,heels clicking behind her. 

'That...wasn't very nice'They heard Cassandra sigh before she gently closed the door,heading into the opposite direction of where Cheryl went,hair and bag bouncing with every steps. 

The group a sleuths came out of their hiding place wondering, why did Jason write to Polly?

 

Cassandra let out a sigh as she settled in her seat in French Class,setting her bag at her feet,running a tired hand down her face with a sigh. 

'What did she say to you?'Veronica suddenly was all over in her space. Cassandra held back the swear that was weighting on her tongue at being frightened this way,her heart banging a rhythm against her ribs. 

'Jesus,V'Cassandra said weakly,casting her tired eyes up to the raven haired teen,who had an expectant look on her face.

'She asked about Jason'Cassandra said,toying with pencil case ,watching as the other teen took a seat beside her.'And I gave her the letter he gave me'Cassandra said simply,wanting to keep it short,feeling suddenly drained of energy.Not that she had much these days to begin with. 

She saw the raven haired teen nod and almost sighed in relief when she didn't push it. She was tired of speaking about Jason,whether she knew him or not,his death weighted on her conscience,plagued her day and night,remorse gnawing at her insides like acid.

'Hey,how about you come and have lunch with me and my friends uh,i noticed that you always eat alone and you look like you could really use some friends right now'Veronica said,honey sweet concern washing over Cassandra like a nice summer breeze. Veronica gently touched her hand,her nails done a nice shade of eggplant which matched with her top of the day. 

'Yeah,i would like that,thanks'Cassandra mustered a small but genuine smile which had Veronica beam at her in satisfaction before the other let go of her hand turn back to pay attention to the teacher who just entered the class and demanded silence. 

 

Lunch came as a blessing,for Cassandra's stomach was practically howling with hunger,demanding sustenance. Her mango and peach smoothie from this morning did seem a bit far all of the sudden. She barely had time to grab her lunch box before Veronica swept her away,eagerly tugging her along by the hand. They made it outside where numerous students were loitering or scattered along the few picnic tables that were situated outside.  

Veronica brought her to a table that already held a group. The same group that seemed to be observing her this morning. The pretty blond,the handsome redhead, the son of Sheriff Keller and the tired looking guy with his grey crown like beanie. 

'Hey guys,this is Cassandra'Veronica introduced her proudly with a grin as if Cassandra was her personal award winning poodle. Or maybe Veronica was the chihuahua type.

Cassandra mustered a polite smile and a meek'hi' that was received by warm smiles and attentive eyes.

'this is Archie' Red head' Betty' Pretty blonde'Kevin' Sheriff Keller's son' And Jughead' Tired looking guy with the beanie and keen eyes. Veronica took a seat between Kevin and Betty on one side while Archie scooted over and offered her a seat. She gave him a bashful thank you before sitting down beside the redhead,setting her lunchbox onto the table.  

The conversation resumed in the group around her as she took out the items from her lunchbox.

'Wow that's one green smoothie,what in it?'Kevin asked her as she took out the bottle that held her her kale,peach and raspberry smoothie.

'Kale,peach and raspberry' She listed off,pausing to smile at the little note her daddy left in her lunchbox.'here you can try it if you want'She offered him the bottle,always willing to share,depending on the person of course.

' That thing practically radiates good health' Jughead commented, something akin to a sneer of disgust on his face as he eyed the drink suspiciously, his eyes narrowed.

' That's because it's good for you Juggie, not everyone can survive on burgers and fries from Pops' Betty said with an amused smile and a shake of her head, her neat ponytail flicking back and forth, her blue eyes twinkling playfully and looked affronted when she got a playful kick from Jughead underneath the table. Cassandra gave an amused giggle, taking her bottle from Kevin, who licked at the green mustache that had formed onto his upper lip.

'hmm, where did you get this' Kevin asked, looking at her bottle for a label.

'My daddy makes em, he's into healthy stuff, like really into it' Cassandra said, taking out her quinoa salad,popping her fork in her mouth as she opened the Tupperware with a small click.

'so with who did you come to Riverdale with Cassandra?' Veronica asked, sneaking a piece of cherry tomato from her plate and popped it into her mouth, chewing on her price happily. Cassandra swallowed her mouthful and nodded.

' With my two dads' She answered without hesitation, she was never ashamed to say that she had same sex parents. Many people would claim that same sex parents would hinder the child's development but she never found that fact true. Her fathers had given her everything that a little girl could possibly ask for and more. Nurtured her, pampered her. She saw surprise in the faces of the people around her, which made Cassandra almost curl in on herself, it wasn't the first time she had been bullied because she had confessed that she had two daddies instead of just one.

' That's awesome' Kevin said, suddenly breaking the silence that made her nerves dance and heart to thunder.' Got any siblings?' This time it was Archie who spoke up, his warm eyes riveted on her, his body angled to give her his full attention. However, Cassandra found herself stalling, her mind filling with white noise as everyone looked at her expectantly and she could feel Jughead's keen eyes burning into her.

' A big brother, whose 3 years older then me,he stayed behind to go to college' She lied through her teeth, offering a smile that felt all kinds of wrong and stretched her face uncomfortably.

'oh, study in what?' Betty asked in interest, leaning her cheek onto her fist. Cassandra swallowed the growing lump in her throat, her stomach roiling,mind racing to find a good lie.

'Music, he-he has a band with a group of friends' Again with the white lies. What they didn't know wouldn't hurt them, not it really could, it was HER brother after all. She didn't feel like being stared at in pity all over again. Archie's features lighted up at the mention of that.

'oh, Archie here plays too' Veronica butted in, proudly motioning to Archie, whose cheeks lit up and he ducked his head between his shoulders with a modest smile.

' I'm still learning' He countered modestly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

After that, the rest of lunch passed by as a blur for Cassandra, who now picked at her lunch, not really hungry anymore. She forced herself to drink her smoothie but she couldn't stomach much else. She also kept stealing glances at Betty, the letter for Polly, her sister, still lying in the bottom of her bag. She didn't know how to breach the subject with her. She could simply hand over the letter or maybe find Polly, where ever Polly was and give it to her herself. 

'Cassie' Cassandra blinked out of her daze as she heard Betty call her name. She snapped up at attention,straightening from her slouched position on the bench.

' Yes Betty' She blinked her eyelashes innocently at her, offering a tentative smile. 

' Me and Juggie were wondering if you could share your story of Jason with us, for both our little 'investigation' and for Jughead, who is making an novel about all this' Cassandra felt like she was dunked into chilly water, her body stiffening considerably, her nails bunching the fabric of her skirt tightly,knuckles white. She gulped, her mouth feeling dry as her breath rattled her rib cage. She scratched at her eyebrow absentmindedly.

'Umm sure ok, where do we need to go?' She asked,crossing her arms in front of her on the table, trying to keep them from trembling like a leaf. She felt eyes on her but she kept on her mask, willing it to remain in place, at least for now.

' The blue and gold office, we'll come and get you at your locker after class k?' Betty said, her eyes suddenly filled concern as they flicked down to her hands.' but if you don't want to Cassie, we can under-'

' No I'll be fine, j-just let me tell the story at my own pace though ok? I don't want it to feel like an interrogation again...' Cassandra said, suddenly feeling tired as she started packing her lunch items back into their box and stood.

' yes , yes that's perfectly fine' Betty conceded, nodding her head in earnest, her eyes filled with understanding.

'Cool, now if you'll excuse me...I forgot something in my locker' She said lamely before turning tail and left briskly.

 

Kevin watched the brown haired girl go from over his shoulder, a perplexed look on his face.

' Did you see how she was staring at you?' Kevin suddenly said after the girl was out of hearing range. Betty looked surprised as she looked back at Kevin.

' she was?' Betty frowned and Kevin nodded in confirmation' oh she was, maybe she has a crush on you' Kevin said, a wicked smile on his lips that made Betty blush in embarrassment and for Veronica eyes to flair with jealousy. Betty made a rude fart noise with  her mouth has she waved the notion off.

 

 

Cassandra had just finished texting her dad to come and get her later when Betty and Jughead appeared by her side. She nearly jumped out of her skin, slamming the locker shut loudly, making a few heads turn at the noise. Betty winced and smiled sheepishly, tucking her hands into her pockets ,rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet.

' you ready?' The blond asked and Cassie nodded, locking her locker with the wheeled padlock, scrolling it to a random number by habit.

' yeah just texted my dad to tell him to come and pick me up later' The brown haired teen said, holding up her cellphone briefly before tucking it into her bag.

' then let's get this over with shall we? Ladies' Jughead said, motioning down the hallway with lazy flourish and a small upturn of lips. Cassandra found herself involuntarily melting a the sight of that smile, so brief and yet it sparked a bit of warmth into her heart. AS well as Betty's own smile, pink lips pulled into a gentle smile as they both guided her down the hallway to a door that read' Blue and Gold' office. As soon as they opened the door, Cassandra's nose was assaulted by the smell of printer ink and dust. Some computers were scattered around the room as well as multiple stack of papers. Then a cork board caught her eye. Numerous pictures, names were pinned to the board, some connection made between different things with garish red string and right i the middle was a picture of Jason. Cassie felt her breath catch when she caught the pictures eyes, her mind suddenly flashing to the cabin, making her eyes flutter, to chase away the memory that flashed before her eyes.

' So' Jughead started, leaning his butt against the edge of one of the desk while Betty commandeered one of the rolling chairs that were lying around. Cassie gulped, wiping her sweaty palms onto the fabric of her skirt as she took her own chair and sat down, not sure if her legs were able to support her anymore as they trembled, her foot jiggling with nerve. She dropped her satchel by her feet but kept the strap in her hands to fidget with.

' I went into the woods for inspiration and to explore a little bit' She started, twisting the strap in her eyes as she practically trembled underneath Jughead's inquisitive yet calm stare. It felt like being interrogated again but yet it didn't at the same time, she knew she wouldn't have to tell the same story a thousand times again. ' When I saw the stereotypical spooky cabin in the woods'

'the one that was burned down right?' Betty asked as she seemed to be jotting down something onto a piece of paper, her eyes briefly staring up at her. Cassandra nodded in confirmation as she licked her lips, her airway suddenly tightening as she took deep breath, her fingers holding the straps tightly. She saw Jughead's eyes flicker down to her hands but didn't comment on it, staying true to his promise to let her speak in her own term.

'Yes, I was gonna avoid it since I didn't even want to get near that place, something about that place made my hair stand on end' She explained' then I heard a scream'

Betty breath caught in her throat as she looked up at her , a frown creasing her face, mouth in a thin line and Jughead's eyes told her to keep going.

'I went and got closer to the cabin, there was no one inside or outside but I did see big tire marks in the dirt' Why was it getting difficult to breath all of the sudden?' There was another scream and I found a storm basement, which was locked'

' How did you unlock it?' Jughead asked, crossing his arms over his chest, crossing his legs in front of him, trying to look at ease but she could see the frown that creased his forehead and how his shoulders were tense.

'I grabbed a big rock and swung down with all my might' She explained, pulling back her sleeves to show the healing scabs on the palm of her hands. Betty winced in sympathy but stayed still, looking at her expectantly, small notepad at the ready' He was crying for help, I-I had to do something'She could feel her eyes sting, her voice a weak echo in the room. She gulped as she went on.

' I finally broke the padlock and was finally able to get inside,it was so, disgusting in there and there he was, he was' Cassandra suddenly saw white pinpricks in her vision as she tried to suck in deep breath but her lungs wouldn't allow her, a clawed hand gripping at her lungs kept her from doing so. She dry heaved and she quickly grabbed the nearest trash can and promptly vomited inside. A sob tore itself from her throat and rattled her whole chest as she gripped the trashcan tightly, trying to ground herself.

'shhh it's ok you don't have to go on, we are sooo sorry we made you do this' Betty's voice pushed through the rushing blood in her ears,filled with sympathy and remorse, the blonds gentle hands pulling her hair back  and rubbed her back soothingly as she continued to dry heave into the trashcan, hot tears slipping down her cheeks. Cassandra wanted to say that it was okay but couldn't do it because it was not. 'stay here, I'll go get you some water' Came the soft reply of the blond, her grounding hand leaving, leaving ice to settled in her core again. Cassie heard the faint click of the door closing. She kept in face into the trashcan until her stomach finally settled. She put the trashcan at her feet as she took deep gulp of air and wiped at her cheeks with her sleeve, suddenly feeling meek and shy. 

'I wish I could've of done more, maybe if I would of been faster, he would be alive today' Cassandra pressed her lips together to keep the sob that threatened to spill from her mouth inside.

' or, you would have gone missing too' Jughead started, pushing away from the desk, making Cassandra look up at him, his face neutral but his eyes were kind' we would have two deaths of investigate instead of just one. There no need to beat yourself over what you could've of done, it's what you are gonna do now that will matter' Cassandra met his eyes and she found herself agreeing with him. 

' you're right' She sniffed, standing up, her knees knocking together awkwardly' I have to go forward, all I can do now is help with whatever you're doing' Cassandra said, motioning to the cork board. 

' That's the spirit' Jughead said without any real energy but there was that small upturn of his lips again. Cassandra mouth set in a firm line as she reached for some pieces of paper, a pen and wrote down everything that stood out to her when she was at the cabin. She then moved to the cork board, Jughead peering over her shoulder at the papers. 

'Big noisy truck' 'torture instruments' Jughead arm brushed against her as he moved to stand beside her, guiding her on where she should place her clues. Cassandra was gonna find ,no, they were gonna find who killed Jason...

 

 

Cassandra was packing up, having received at text from her dad that he would be there soon. Jughead had left, leaving the two girls together to putter around in relative silence. Cassandra felt the letter against her fingertips as she shoved one of her notebooks inside. She gulped and took it out, moving towards Betty.

' Betty' She started softly, tapping on the blond shoulder to get her attention. Betty turned, offering a smile before she took note of the letter in her hand.

' For you, well for your sister' she said quickly, holding it out for Betty to take' It's from Jason' Betty eyes widened as she stared at Cassandra, her mouth agape, fingers tentatively coming to pluck the letter from Cassandra's hands.' I wanted to give it to you earlier but I felt like it wasn't the time, considering that everyone was around' Cassandra shrugged gently,wrapping her arms around her herself for comfort, cornflower blue watching the blond face carefully.

'T-thanks, I'll make sure she gets it, somehow' Betty's smile was suddenly tight, her eyes dim as she avoided Cassandra's gaze intently. Cassandra nodded her head, pursing her lips, wrinkling her nose as she still taste the bile on her lips.

' well, I'll see you tomorrow?' Cassandra said, shouldering her satchel and headed for the door, hand on the handle. Betty nodded absentmindedly, eyes still focused on the piece of paper. The door closed with a soft click, leaving Betty in a deafening silence, who was smothered by the screaming of her mind.

**Author's Note:**

> I could almost hear Jughead's narration in my head while doing this :P


End file.
